On March 30, 2020, the Philippine General Hospital started operating as  one of three COVID-19 Referral Hospitals designated by the DOH in the National Capital Region. 

But if this were a chronology of events, the story should have started in February, 2020 à when there was a growing sense of panic enveloping the country as various hospitals both here and abroad reported paralyzing numbers of admissions and mortalities of COVID-19 patients and more alarmingly of its death toll among their doctors and healthcare staff. By March 11, the WHO declared COVID-19 as a pandemic.  It was WWIII.

Being the National University Hospital (and the only hospital that remained open during WWII), it was a only a matter of time before PGH once again stepped on the plate – although this was, to quote PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi one of the most difficult decisions he had to make, as it will “affect the more than 4,000 people who have made PGH their home, and the alumni that support it”.  He knew, and the entire PGH community knew, that it was a war, and there was little time to prepare.

The Director asked for a week to prepare, and like a well-oiled machinery, PGH went full-blast to fortify our beloved hospital and arm its staff. Commitment to a unified goal was obtained from the DAB (the body comprising the Heads of PGH’s various units).  Non-COVID services of the hospital were put on hold.  The wards were cleared of as many patients as was permissible, and zoning of COVID and non-COVID areas was mapped out.   Re-engineering in the wards were instituted to ensure an efficient and natural unidirectional air exchange; in addition, air-purifying units were distributed around the work areas to further increase the safety measures for our personnel.  A transition into 3 teams of 1-week on-2 weeks-off tours of duty was planned.  Assignments of dedicated personnel for COVID wards from all the departments was devised, and multiple training sessions in strict infection control measures were started for everyone. A massive donation campaign for essential PPEs, equipment, back-of-house operational needs – even food – was launched, and a Logistics Team was put in-charge for acquisition and appropriation of necessary “artillery”.  A Crisis Management Team was created to ensure operational efficiency.  An Information, Education, and Communication Team was formed to unify flow of relevant communications and infographics.  A Manpower Team was designated to oversee provisions for accommodations, food, transportation and other personal needs of our front liners. The UP-PGH Bayanihan Center was put up at the historic Nurses’Home by UP President Danilo Concepcion and UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla to streamline communications and donations. And a MOA that guaranteed full government financial support as well as a metro-wide hospital support in terms of manpower, technical and technological assistance was solicited.

All these in a period of 7 days.  And on March 30, the PGH operated as a COVID-19 Referral Center.   The PGH, again, was at war. And she WAS READY to face this invisible enemy.